Car-coupling



(No Model.)

J. W. YOUNG. GAR COUPLING N0. 453,41-54. Patented June 2,1891.

23 .T h??? Z, 0W #6 1 W v mmms rtTEns co.. Moro-mum, WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT;- OFFICE.

JOSEPH \V. YOUNG, OF POINT EASTERNfVIRGINIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 453,434, dated June 2, 1891.

Application filed December 15, 1890. Serial No, 374,737- (No model.) 7

'To aZZ whom it may concern:

' .Be it known that I, JOSEPH W. YOUNG, a

citizen of the'United States, and a resident of'Point Eastern, in the county of Caroline and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couphugs; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others cars.

The invention consists in the novel con-' struction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a draw-head and coupling devices constructed in accordance with my invention, the top of the draw-head being removed. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the parts in a different position. Fig. 4 is an end View.

In the said drawings, the reference-numeral 1 designates the draw-head comprising the sides 2, front and rear cross-pieces 3 4, top and bottom 5 6, and intermediate cross-piece 7, connected together by means of rods 8 and binding-nuts 9. The draw-head may be made of any suitable material. Passing through apertures in the front wall 3 and the intermediate cross-piece 7 are the horizontally-reciprocating bars 12, connected together at their rear ends by means of cross-bar 13. These bars are provided with heads 14 and flanges or collars 15 for limiting their movement. Intermediate of the cross-bar 13 and the rear cross-piece 4 and secured thereto are. coiled springs 16, the tendency of which is to force the barsoutward. The horizontal bars 12 are provided on their outer sides with guides 17, which work in ways formed on the inner faces of the sides 2 of the draw-head.

The numeral 18 designates across-head, the ends of which pass through apertures in the bars 12 and through elongated slots 19 in the sides of the draw-head, and are journaled or pivoted in the blocks 20 on the out-side of said draw-head. To this cross-head is pivoted at its rear end the draw-bar 21, provided at its front or free end with a hook 22. The rear end of the draw-bar has its upper face beveled, as seen at 21", which is adapted to engage with the beveled plates 21", secured to a standard 21, projecting from the bottom of the draw-head. This cross-head, block, and draw-bar are. horizontally reciprocated by the bars 12, with which they are connected. Each draw-head is provided with a horizontally-movable link 23, which projects out,- wardly beyond the face thereof, and works in grooves or ways in the front 3, being provided with projections 24, which limit its outward movement.

Theblocks 20 on their upper sides are provided with notches 25, adapted to engage with a downwardly-projecting lug 26, carriedby the'arm 27, pivoted to the side of the drawhead. A spring 28 bears uponthe free end of arm 27, so as to press it down to engage its lug with the notch in the block.

The numeral-28 designates a lever pivoted to a block 29, secured to the side of the drawhead and having its upper end curved or rounded and adapted to engage with a beveled plate 27 secured to or formed with arm 27. Bearing against the lever 28 is a spring 28, which is secured to the side of the-drawhead, and the lower end of this lever is com nected, by means of a chain 30, with a shaft 31, provided with an operating wheel 32. This shaft is pivoted to the bottom ofthe draw-head and extends transversely across the same.

. Pivoted in bearings 33, depending from the top of the draw-head, are the arms 34, connected at their front or free ends by means of rollers 35, and provided with a cross-piece 36, adapted to engage with a spring 37, secured to the top of the draw-head, the tendency of which is to force the said roller down upon the draw-head. I

The operation is as follows: Supposing the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 2 ready for coupling, the draw-bar, the horizontally-reciprocatin g bars, and thecoupling-link being in the position shown with the levers 28 engaged with the plates on the arms 27, so as to raise the latter and prevent the lugs thereon from engaging the notches in the blocks 20, it will be seen that the draw-bars project somewhat beyond the bars 12, and that they are placed a little to one side of the center, so as to barely reach each other. As the cars approach each other the bars 12 strike each other, by which means they are forced backward, carrying with them the draw-bars and sliding blocks 20. As the draw-bars thus recede their beveled rear faces strike against the beveled plates 21*, which causes the front or hooked ends to be elevated so as to clear the coupling-links 23, which have also been forced inwardly by the cars. As long as the cars are together or in contact the hooked ends of the draw-bars will be elevated out of engagement with the coupling-links. When, however, the cars are moved forward by the engine, so as to be out of contact, the springs 16 will force the bars 12 outward, allowing the draw-bars to fall and engage with the coupling-links, and thus securely couple the cars, the rollers connected with the springactuated arms 34 bearing upon the draw-bars, holding them in place and preventing any accidental disengagement of the hooked ends with the coupling-links. To uncouple the cars they are pushed backward by the engine until they come in contact, the bars, sliding block, draw-bar, and coupling-links being forced back, as before stated. In this case, however, the upper ends of the levers 28 are forced backward out of contact with the plates 27 by means of the springs 28, the chains 30 being released or loosened for this purpose by turning the shaft 31. As the draw-bars recede, their hooked ends are elevated out of engagement with the coupling-links, thus uncoupling the cars, andthe arms 27 will be depressed by the spring 28, causing the lugs 26 to engage with the notches 25 on the blocks 20. By this means the horizontal bars, the drawbars, and the blocks will remain uncoupled until the said lugs are withdrawn from engagement with the notches in the blocks by means of the chains 30 and shaft 31, when the coupling devices are forced outward and into engagement, as before stated.

From the above it will be seen that so long as the cars are in contact by the engine backing or otherwise they are uncoupled but when they are drawn out of contact they are successively coupled by means of the drawbars and coupling-links, except in case where it is desired to entirely disconnect the cars, when the coupling is prevented by means of the notched blocks, the arms, lugs, and levers, as before set forth.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a car-coupling, the combination,with the horizontally-sliding bars and the springs bearing against the same, of the pivoted draw-bar carried by said arms, having its rear face beveled and its front end hooked, the beveled plates engaging with said beveled faces, and the coupling'links, substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-head having elongated slots in its.

sides and the horizontallyreciprocating spring-actuated bars, of the cross-head carried by said bars, having its ends projecting through said slots and pivoted in blocks having notches in their upper sides, the pivoted spring-actuated arms having lugs engaging with said notches and provided with beveled plates, the spring-actuated pivoted lever having curved upper end, the draw-bar pivoted in said cross-heads, having its front end hooked and its rear end beveled, the-beveled plates with which said lever engages, and the sliding coupling-link, substantially as described,

4. In a car-coupling, the combination of the draw-head having elongated slots in its sides, the horizontally-reciprocating spring-actuated bars, the blocks carried by said bars and provided with notches, the pivoted spring-actuated arms having lugs engaging with said notches, the pivoted spring-actuated levers engaging with beveled plates secured to said arms, the pivoted draw-bar having hooked outer end and beveled inner end, the beveled plates engaging with said beveled end, the spring-actuated pivoted arms having rollers bearing against the draw-bar, and the coupling-link, substantially as described.

5. In a car-coupling, the combination of the draw-head having elongated slots in its sides, the horizontally-reciprocating spring-actuated bars having guides working in ways in the draw-head, the cross-head passing through apertures in said bars and slots and pivoted in blocks on the outside of the draw-head provided with notches, the spring-actuated pivoted arms provided with lugs engaging with said notches, the beveled plates secured thereto, the pivoted spring-actuated levers having curved upper ends, the transverse shaft having wheels or cranks, the chains connecting said levers and shaft, the draw-bar pivoted on the cross-head, having hooked outer endand beveled inner end, the beveled plates engaging with said draw-bar, the pivoted spring-actuatedarms having rollers hearing upon the draw-bar, and the sliding coupling-link, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' JOSEPH W. YOUNG.

Witnesses:

R. O. PEATROSS, T. U. VALENTINE. 

